Gernot Kissel is a German
painter born in 1939 in Worms on the Rhine in Germany and died in 2008. An
engineer and architect by training, he learned painting self-taught at the age
of 18.
His still lifes and
landscapes are typical expressionist works, made of vibrant colors and bold
lines. Kissel is best known, however, for his female nudes or portraits which
are painted with an almost disconcerting confidence. Her female figures have a
direct and powerful sensuality and force the observer to admire them. Through
them we feel the artist's love for women.
Kissel's work inevitably
compares with the recognized and extremely fashionable German Expressionists of
the 20th century, particularly Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Erich Heckel and in terms
of portrait painting, Alexey von Jawlensky. Another comparison can be made to
the elegant canvases of Kees Van Dongen or to the profound sense of color as
used by British artist Sir Matthew Smith.
Gernot Kissel's
paintings have over time been successfully exhibited in Germany but also in
England in London, Richmond and Newcastle. In June 2008, he was also exhibited
in New York. His works are currently visible in many museums and private
collections throughout Europe.
Gernot Kissel published
two books in Germany, namely
1. KISSEL FRAUEN -
published in 1989, 240 pages
2. KISSEL Er selbst
(Himself) - Women, landscapes and still lifes in 2007, 174 pages.
Most of the paintings
shown are privately owned and have been sold at gallery exhibitions in Europe
and the UK, as well as at art fairs.
Excerpts from these
books:
"Gernot Kissel is
the continuator of an important part of German art. He adds another vital
chapter and is a person who preserves the beauty of art and the body. Painting
with all his heart and soul , he keeps the fascination of color alive. It is a
pleasure to see his works"
Prof. Dr. Helge Bathelt
"Who can deny that
Kissel's works are, above all, excellent paintings? Since the days of Alexey
Jawlensky, their intense colors and bold contrasts have remained
unmatched"